Welcome to Things We Read This Week, a weekly post featuring workplace related articles from around the internet recommended by Office Essentials team members. It’s a list of articles we read and liked, things that made us think and things we couldn’t stop talking about. Check back every Friday for a new post.
How many germs live on a grocery cart handle?
Ew. About 75 percent of the surface bacteria found on carts were identified as the kind that include fungus and can be associated with skin infections, and 90 percent of those were the kind that were antibiotic-resistant. They also detected trace amounts of bacillus, which is linked to food poisoning, and yeast, which can lead to skin infections.
Reminds us of our earlier post: These are The Germiest Places in the Office
What Is Ergonomics and Why Does It Matter?
Though ergonomics is sometimes described as the study of how equipment and furniture are arranged to enhance comfort and efficiency, the discipline isnt strictly limited to furniture. From an all-encompassing perspective, ergonomics is about regular movement, effective software solutions, regular work breaks and good posture. And the study of ergonomics assesses positive implications when these attributes are addressed. Ergonomics is also about controlling your environment with reference to temperature, lighting, noise and humidity. Ultimately, ergonomics is the study of how people interact with their working environment and using the information obtained to improve efficiency and optimize well-being.
Check out our posts about Ergonomics
Is Office Equipment Security Finally Getting The Attention It Deserves?
Consider a multifunction printer (MFP) in the office. Looking beyond what operating system it utilizes or if the device allows for hard disk drive overwrite protection, a business should be considering how to ensure communications between employees and printers/MFPs in the office are secure. Scanned documents intended for user emails or folders and documents that are meant to be printed could be sent unprotected on a network. Passwords, usernames and other information packets could also be intercepted, copied or diverted to unauthorized recipients. By default, many devices accept communication through various ports and protocols that, if left unmanaged, can result in potential security breaches.
Read more about device security
5 Adjustments You Need to Make to Your Desk Right Now
You likely dont even realize how much subconscious adjusting you are doing to fit yourself to your space: You reach for your mouse and keyboard, raise your chair up to be more eye level with the monitor and lean forward to better read your screen. But each one of these movements is putting your physical health at risk.
Further reading: These Posture Tips Will Make Your Workday Pain-free
